Recently refurbished and re-equipped, the UQ Archaeological Science Laboratories provide world class integrated research and teaching facilities for UQ staff and students.  The facility is comprised of nine dedicated wireless-enabled laboratory spaces in the Michie Building and the Archaeology Teaching and Research Centre (ATARC).

Specialist facilities for:

  • Teaching and research
  • Student volunteering
  • Sample processing
  • Historical archaeology
  • Lithic technologies
  • Geoarchaeology
  • Osteology and palaeopathology
  • Zooarchaeology
  • Archaeobotany
  • Pacific archaeology
  • Residue and use wear analysis
  • Chemistry

Fully equipped fieldwork and laboratories:

  • Excavation equipment such as trowels, drawing squares, Munsell soil charts, pH testing kits;
  • Surveying equipment including DGPS, EDM, hand held GPS, dumpy levels and plane tables;
  • On-site processing equipment including sieves and flotation tank;
  • Specialist analysis equipment including digital callipers, field microscopes and laptops;
  • Portable X-ray Fluorescence instrument for elemental analysis of artefacts;
  • Incident and transmitted light high and low magnification light microscopes with digital imaging capacity;
  • Scanning electron microscope;
  • 3D object scanners and 3D printer;
  • Up-to-date image processing, desktop publishing, statistical analysis, database and GIS software; and
  • Flexible teaching laboratory and workshop, shared with the Anthropology Museum, providing on-site practical teaching.

Research and Teaching Collections:

  • Ceramic, glass, metal, lithic and shell artefact reference collections;
  • Resin reproductions of human osteological, forensic, and human evolution specimens;
  • Australia-Pacific shell, echinoderm, fish, mammal and bird reference collections;
  • Plant macrofossil (seeds, fruits, wood) reference collection for Australia, New Guinea, Southwest Asia and Turkey; and
  • Plant microfossil (starch and phytolith) reference collection for the Asia-Pacific region.

The Archaeology Laboratory has an active undergraduate student volunteer program.  Throughout the year, undergraduate student volunteers can gain invaluable lab work experience by volunteering on various research projects.  Please contact your course coordinator at the beginning of semester to find out what volunteering opportunities are available.

To visit the laboratories or arrange equipment loans (UQ staff and students only) please contact the Laboratory Coordinator, Mr Kelvin Henderson (07 3365 3018 or labtech.socsci@uq.edu.au).

For a copy of the current Archaeology Laboratory Procedures Manual please contact the Laboratory Coordinator (labtech.socsci@uq.edu.au).